A Note from CleoThese muffins are a real treat when fresh strawberries are in season. As I mentioned, they have the taste of strawberry shortcake but with less fat and calories. If you should want to make them richer, you certainly can. Simply replace the low fat milk with whole milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream. However you decide to bake them, I hope you will eat with summertime joy! ~ Cleo

Step 1 -Prep oven, pan, and berries: Preheat oven to 350º F. Line six muffin cups with paper holders. To prevent muffins from sticking, lightly spray the papers with non-stick spray. Wash your strawberries and gently pat them dry with a paper towel. (It's okay if they're still damp.) Hull them (see how below) and chop them into small, uniform pieces. If you slice them over a small bowl, you'll retain more of the juices. Once chopped, the strawberries should fill 2/3 cup and no more. Sprinkle berries with 1 tablespoon of sugar, toss well, and set aside the bowl.

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How to hull a strawberry: Pinch off green stem. Using a small, sharpknife, cut around the berry's crown (or move the berry in a circularmotion against the blade). You want to remove the fibrous white,conical-shaped core, leaving as much fruit intact as possible

Step 2 - Make batter with one bowl mixing method: Crack egg into a mixing bowl and gently beat with a whisk or fork. Add 1/4 cup sugar, oil, vanilla, milk, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and whisk until well blended. Add chopped strawberries from Step 1. Be sure to include any strawberry juices that may have accumulated at the bottom of the strawberry bowl. Stir to blend.﻿

Batter before flour is added.

Step 3 - Add dry ingredients: Measure flour and pour into the wet ingredients. With a spoon or spatula gently mix dry and wet ingredients to form a lumpy batter. Do not over mix at this stage, but be sure to blend the raw flour completely into your batter.

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Never over mix muffin batter or you'll develop the gluten in the flour and your muffinswill be tough instead oftender.

Step 4 - Bake: This batter will make 6 standard muffins so divide it up evenly among your paper-lined cups (don't forget to coat them lightly with non-stick spray). Bake in a well preheated 350º F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes. The muffins are not done until the tops have turned golden brown(see my photos)...

Step 5 - Cooling and storing: Allow the muffins to cool for five minutes in the pan. Remove and finish cooling on a wire rack. Once they're completely cool, you can wrap them in plastic and store them in the refrigerator. A little butter, a cuppa joe, and you're set for breakfast, a coffee break, or a late-night snack.